Napoléon 1er chassant à courre dans la forêt de Fontainebleau

In the same way as the rulers who preceded him, Napoleon attempted to recreate the splendour of the royal hunts which had been suppressed by the French Revolution. He did not however have a real interest for hunting or for hunting with hounds which he considered to be a pale substitute for war. In this scene located in the forest of Fontainebleau Napoleon is represented in hunting attire in the company of his faithful mameluk Roustan. In the background, we can see the “true home of kings, the house of centuries”, the Chateau de Fontainebleau, which Napoleon had restored and fully refurnished. The forêt de Fontainebleau was the scene of a famous “incident” skilfully staged by Napoleon himself: in order not to give the proper welcome due to Pius VII as he was making his way to Paris for the “Sacre” (coronation) at Notre Dame, the future Emperor feigned a surprise encounter in the forest during a hunt … As he got down from his carriage at the Croix de Saint-Herem  in order to greet his host, the pontiff, was forced to walk on the wet ground whist wearing his famous slippers.